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Few curries compare in popularity, flavour and nuance with the velvety, smoky, lightly spiced butter chicken. And all of the delicious and creamy flavour profile of this dish means that the iconic Punjabi classic is quite tricky to master. Unlock some of the trade secrets of making the perfect butter chicken recipe and craft this curry to perfection the next time you host a dinner party at home.
A great butter chicken gravy is more than just a delicious dish served warm. It is culinary craft at its finest; it is an ode to the vibrant gastronomical cultures prevailing in the Indian subcontinent. The dish is a culmination of creamy, spicy and smoky flavours, and making the perfect butter chicken requires a lot of culinary attention.
It involves mastering the process of seasoning the marinade well, charring the chicken just enough to lend it the smoky tandoori effect without overcooking it and creating a silky, smooth tomato base which brings in a tang and acidity that balances out all the other flavours in the recipe.
Next time you plan to make this Punjabi classic, ensure that the marinade is prepared with creamy curd and a good mixture of chilli powder and ginger garlic paste, and that the chicken is seared long enough for it to acquire the classic charred effect. The secret to a good butter chicken is the smoky flavour, which comes from adding charcoal smoke to the finished
Read MorePrep the chicken by coating it in salt, turmeric, Kashmiri chilli powder and lemon juice and let it rest for about 10 minutes.
Mix the ingredients for the butter chicken marinade and add the prepped chicken to the mixture. Let it rest for at least an hour.
Sear the marinated chicken on high heat over a cooktop, in a pan, until char marks appear. Avoid cooking the chicken fully, as this will happen while making the gravy.
Start the gravy by adding butter and oil to a pan. Next, add tomatoes, onions, garlic and ginger. Cook until the tomatoes soften entirely.
Add Kashmiri chilli powder, salt and honey. Let the mixture cool for a while.
Now, blend the mixture into a smooth paste and strain the sauce for silkiness.
Return the gravy to the pan. Add a bit of butter and simmer for 5 minutes before mixing in the chicken pieces.
Add cream and stir gently over low heat. Also, crush the kasuri methi between your palms and add it to the simmering curry.
For the smoky effect, heat the charcoal over an open flame until it is red. Place it in a small bowl or tadka kadai inside the pan, add ghee and keep the pan covered for 1 minute. Remove the charcoal.
Garnish the now ready butter chicken with cream swirls and flecks of kasuri methi. Serve with warm naans or lachha paratha.
1 Use a heavy-bottomed scratch-resistant pan such as the TTK Prestige Cast Iron Scratch Resistant Round Base Fry Pan to sear the chicken. This will ensure that the chicken acquires a charred effect and good browning.
2 Go for a cast-iron kadai to make the gravy. It will prevent burning and lend a slow, even cook to the tomato base.
3 To make a fine purée out of the tomato and spice mix, use a TTK Prestige Hand Blender. This will give the chicken curry its famously smooth texture.
4 A good quality mixer grinder goes a long way in making fresh ginger-garlic paste for the curry. Go for the TTK Prestige Mixer Grinder, which will yield a smooth and even paste.
5 For introducing the smoky effect into the butter chicken, one of the best hacks is to use a tadka pan to release charcoal smoke into the gravy. Use the TTK Prestige Hard Anodised Cookware Tadka Pan for the charcoal smoke infusion.
Absolutely. Full-fat curd can lend the chicken marinade a very creamy finish. This creaminess will inevitably make its way into the actual chicken curry too, lending it a very silky, smooth and luxurious touch.
The best way to use the leftover marinade is to add it to the butter chicken gravy itself. This lends the dish more complexity and a slightly spicy touch.
While this isn’t an essential step, it definitely builds into the smoky effect of the dish, bringing more nuance into it. So, it is recommended to infuse butter chicken with the charcoal smoke to recreate the classic Punjabi recipe effect.
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